ἔμπροσθεν (G1715) — Greek Lexicon

ἔμπροσθεν

émprosthen

G1715 preposition

SILEX Entry

Root προσ- before, in front (of), ahead

Definition

Primarily, 'before' or 'in front (of)' in reference to position, location, or sequence; used with both concrete and abstract senses. Refers to being situated spatially before someone or something (in their presence, ahead of, facing), or temporally in advance of an event (prior, previously). Can also mean 'in the presence of' or 'in the sight of' someone in more formal or legal contexts. In certain idioms, can express opposition ('against'), though this is uncommon and contextual.

Semantic Range

in front of (spatially), before (in time), in the presence of, in the sight of, ahead of, against (in some idioms)

Root / Etymology

From an adverbial formation: prefix ἐμ- (variant of ἐν, 'in') + πρός ('toward, before') + the suffix -θεν denoting direction or origin; thus, literally 'from before' or 'from the front.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

Used in classical and Hellenistic Greek for both spatial (literal 'in front of') and figurative (before in time or rank) contexts. In the Septuagint and New Testament, ἔμπροσθεν regularly signifies 'before'—whether in relation to location ('standing before the altar'), appearance ('in the presence of another'), or time ('before it happened'). It may sometimes be interchangeable with προ ('before', especially in temporal expressions), but ἔμπροσθεν often carries a more physical or relational nuance, frequently found in narrative and legal passages. Most English translations render it as 'before' or 'in front of,' but nuances tied to presence, authority, and directness may be flattened. In LXX usage, often translates Hebrew לִפְנֵי (lifne), keeping the spatial or formal sense. The idiomatic extension to 'against' relies on context, as confrontation presupposes facing someone.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐν and πρός; in front of (in place (literally or figuratively) or time):--against, at, before, (in presence, sight) of.

Root Family

ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen) — before, in front of, ahead

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`G1715-01`	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of	48

Occurrences in Scripture

48 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`G1715-01`	Matthew 5:16	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 5:24	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 6:1	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 6:2	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 7:6	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 10:32	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 10:32	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen-2	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 10:33	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 10:33	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen-2	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 11:10	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 11:26	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 17:2	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 18:14	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 23:13	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 25:32	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 26:70	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 27:11	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Matthew 27:29	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Mark 2:12	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Mark 9:2	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 5:19	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 7:27	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 10:21	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 12:8	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 12:8	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen-2	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 14:2	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 19:4	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`ADV`	ahead	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 19:27	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 19:28	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`ADV`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Luke 21:36	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	John 1:15	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	John 1:30	ἔμπροσθέν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	John 3:28	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	John 10:4	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	John 12:37	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Acts 10:4	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Acts 18:17	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	2 Corinthians 5:10	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Galatians 2:14	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Philippians 3:13	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`ADV`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	1 Thessalonians 1:3	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	1 Thessalonians 2:19	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	1 Thessalonians 3:9	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	1 Thessalonians 3:13	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	1 John 3:19	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Revelation 4:6	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`ADV`		in front of
`G1715-01`	Revelation 19:10	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of
`G1715-01`	Revelation 22:8	ἔμπροσθεν	emprosthen	`PREP GEN`	before	in front of

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